7 French Beauty Indulgences You Must Try in Paris

March 30, 2017Think it's pretty from the ground? There’s a champagne bar at the top. Photo by Arkan Zakharov.

Far from the Arc de Triomphe and miles off the Champs-Élysées, Jessica Chia discovers Paris’s best-kept beauty secrets.

"Take it to a pharmacist.” Five words that I had been assured would make me French. Or at least give me a French complexion.

I had only been in Paris for three days, and already I had been given a piece of paper by a local facialist along with this directive. Which is what landed me in this pharmacie in the 2nd arrondissement handing the now-rumpled piece of paper to the woman behind the counter. She nodded. I nodded back. (I had no idea why I was nodding, but it felt like the thing to do.) She disappeared into the back and re-emerged with a box. Granions de Manganèse — French for “30 Ampoules of Magnesium That Will Give You the Most Amazing Skin of Your Life, Self- Acceptance, and Very Likely, Even a Raise and Maybe a Corner Office.”

Is it possible that the key to that elusive quality known as "French beauty" was hidden in an ampoule? In a word: non. See, I was in Paris, at least partly, to discover real French beauty, not the kind that you can order on Amazon Prime, and while the ampoules were enticing, French beauty is more involved than anyone wants to admit. I was after the vials and jars, the treatments and fragrances, that rarely make it inside our borders, that French women protect as fiercely as the recipe for a perfect croque monsieur. Just being in a pharmacie, the kind you spell with an “ie,” made me feel closer to unlocking that secret.

I interviewed cool Parisians, like makeup artist Violette and jewelry designer Annelise Michelson. I copied the style of women like actress Clémence Poésy and street-style star Jeanne Damas — down to the ankle booties. And there I was, next to chic Parisians, as they picked up, oui, cheap plastic compacts. In the end, my ampoules didn’t get me a raise or a corner office, but I did learn a few things about French beauty — and it turns out it’s not nearly as elusive as we may think.

French Beauty

Facial: Joëlle Ciocco (Joelle-ciocco.com)
Walk out with parfait skin — and a personalized French skin-care routine. Mine included toning lotions and those Granions de Manganèse ampoules you’ll have to ask for by name at a French pharmacy.

Makeup: Paris Berlin (Parisberlin.com)
The sign in the window says “professionals only.” Ignore it and head inside to sift through a rainbow of professional-grade glitter (the stuff looks like craft glue, but you can paint it on lids and lips). Plus, the store’s own line of concealers and eye shadows is worth the trip — there are scores of shades to choose from.

Skin-care: Pharmacie (any)
Stop in at one of these green-lit storefronts for gentle cleansers, micellar waters — and an overwhelming selection of rich French creams.

Fragrance: Jovoy Parfums Rares (Jovoyparis.com)
If you don’t mind setting aside a few hundred euro for this stop, you can buy a new signature parfum — like a delicate rose or an edgy leather — that no one at home will have.

Hair: Christophe Robin Salon (Christophe-robin.com) and Le Studio 34 (delphinecourteille.com)
Visit colorist Christophe Robin’s salon for sunny highlights a sink away from model Natalia Vodianova. See hairstylist Delphine Courteille at Le Studio 34 for choppy, brow-skimming French-girl bangs like Damas has (go Google Image search her, but be forewarned that you’ll want to book an appointment and a plane ticket on the spot).

Nails: Colorforever Oberkamp (Colorforever.com)
When you schedule an appointment at Oberkampf, follow Michelson’s guidelines for fitting in. No nail art or embellishments, no crazy nail shapes. Just a wash of color on short, rounded nails.

Parisian indulgence comes in many forms. Photo by Arkan Zakharov.

Paris Living

Massage: L'Atelier Cécile Cotten (33-6-80-08-86-77)
French makeup artist Violette, and others in the know, head to this Marais massage spot for a session with Cotten. They don’t have a website; call for an appointment.

Workout: Le Klay (Klay.fr)
Amid the low tables and velvet couches in the members-only lounge, it's not immediately apparent that this is actually a gym. Wear yoga pants and a slouchy top, and chat with a workout buddy between sets or while on the treadmill.

Breakfast: Claus Paris (Clausparis.com)
If you’re really attempting Parisian-ness, order exactly this: un pain au chocolat et un café crème. If your stomach can no longer be satisfied with a sole croissant for breakfast, eat at the sit-down restaurant, where the fruit-topped muffins and thick slices of bread piled with egg and cheese will satisfy your Instagram followers and your hunger in equal measure.

Dinner: Le Mary Celeste (Quixotic-projects.com) and Hôtel Costes (hotelcostes.com)
Perch on a stool at Mary Celeste’s circular bar for a savory and sweet squash salad and the perfect vantage point for people-watching. Make
a reservation at Hôtel Costes if you’d rather spy visiting celebrities: Bella Hadid in the far corner, model Liu Wen and friends to your left.

Drink: Le Wood (1 Place de Thorigny, 33-1-42-71-39-08)
If you happened to befriend a Parisian news anchor and criminal lawyer, they would invite you for a weekday nightcap here. And you would find it exactly like your mixology bar at home, only much more charming in French.

Snack: Carette (Carette-paris.fr)
Head here to top up if it’s been more than a few hours since you’ve had a buttery carbohydrate. “No one is allergic to gluten here,” Michelson says, wryly.

Shop: La Mode Vintage (La-mode-vintage.com) and The Azzedine Alaïa Secret Outlet
Browse the former for vintage Yves Saint Laurent and Courrèges, then tell your cab driver to take you to 18 Rue de la Verrerie so you can say you know the best place to buy Alaïa.